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Global Perspectives on the War in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine affects regions around the world in a variety of ways. Belfer Center experts reflect on how the conflict is impacting the countries and regions they study.




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Improving Migrant Child Welfare at the Southwest Border

Policymakers need to act now and place child welfare professionals, not law enforcement actors, at the border to effectively screen and interview migrant children. Information sharing practices need to be improved, with a movement away from paper documents that can easily get lost to an approach that is digital, secure, and accessible by the child, their guardian, their lawyer, and their doctor. Further, the enforcement processing facilities need to undergo an immediate infrastructural transformation with the addition of new design features that are necessary and sensitive to the majority demographic that are held within facilities—children and families.

These actions are doable and require no legislative action. Migrant children deserve decisive action to ensure that their health, safety, and well-being is not jeopardized as they seek refuge in the United States.




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'Our Proud Spirited Fellows' The American Navy in U.S. Public Diplomacy with South America

Using the private journals of commission secretaries Henry Marie Brackenridge and Dr. William Baldwin, as well as Captain Sinclair, this chapter will explore the establishment of American naval identity through its diplomatic experiences in South America. It will also exhibit the role of the U.S. Navy in a proto framework of the Monroe Doctrine.




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Words Matter: The Effect of Moral Language on International Bargaining

When states use moral language in a dispute, they reduce the possibility of compromise. The possibility of military escalation, meanwhile, rises in response to moral language when states’ domestic audiences accuse their governments of hypocrisy for their willingness to compromise. The Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas case explores the theory.




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The Con-Man Realism of Vivek Ramaswamy

Stephen Walt critiques Vivek Ramaswamy's claim of being a foreign policy realist.




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A US Ambassador Working for Cuba? Charges Against Former Diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha Spotlight Havana's Importance in the World of Spying

Calder Walton writes that if proved, Victor Manuel Rocha's espionage would place him among the longest-serving spies in modern times. Allowing him to operate as a spy in the senior echelons of the U.S. government for so long would represent a staggering U.S. security failure.




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After Sobers, Who? The Telegraph

In one of the first books I read, the writer had posed the question: ‘Who was the greatest all-rounder in the history of cricket?’, before providing this answer: ‘He was a left-arm bowler and a right-hand batsman, who was born in the village of Kirkheaton’. I now forget the title of the book, but remember [...]




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‘We have some contacts with bad guys and perhaps one of them did it'

Pakistan's National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, Mahmud Ali Durrani, on the 2008 bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul




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U.S. feared LeT attack in India in mid-2009; warned Pakistan

U.S. feared another LeT attack in India in mid-2009, and sought Pakistan's help to ‘disrupt and prevent' it



  • The India Cables

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237503: The President's announcement on the way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan

This cable contains information which we hope will be useful to you in engaging host governments, media, and the public after the President's address.




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U.S. confident of safety of nuclear weapons, despite al-Qaeda presence



  • The India Cables

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Terror threats keep me awake, Manmohan Singh told U.S. official



  • The India Cables

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148953: Boucher's meeting with Foreign Minister Qureshi

During a March 28 meeting with Assistant Secretary or South and Central Asian Affairs Boucher, Foreign Minister-designate Shah Mehmood Qureshi confirmed that the new government wanted to work with the U.S. to combat extremism, increase trade and extend cooperation with India and Afghanistan.




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250737: NSA Menon discusses regional security and trade issues with Codel McCaskill

In a wide-ranging meeting with CODEL McCaskill February 17, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon touched on several regional security and trade-related issues.




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214563: NSA Jones' June 25 meeting with President Zardari

Zardari made repeated pleas for drones to be "put in Pakistan's hands" so that Pakistan would own the issue and drone attacks (including collateral damage) would not provoke anti-americanism.




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155753: Codel Feingold meets with President Musharraf

President Musharraf also asked the U.S. to put more pressure on India to negotiate over Kashmir, concluding that the time is ripe for resolution of the issue.




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‘Many Pakistans, so we need many Pakistan policies'

‘India does not want to play into the hands of terrorists by shunning dialogue.'



  • The India Cables

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186057: Mukherjee shares concern about special envoy in Ambassador's farewell call

In Ambassador Mulford's January 7 farewell call on External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the Minister said he understood the seriousness of the error in releasing sensitive intelligence from the Mumbai terrorism investigations and pledged that the Ministry would not further disseminate that information.




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185384: Menon says India to decide on information-sharing with Pakistan

Menon emphasized that India had been tough on Pakistan with regard to accountability, but restrained in its rhetoric and actions.




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How India kept Kashmir out of U.S. Af-Pak envoy's brief



  • The India Cables

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236332: US saw "additional opportunities" to embed own troops in Pakistan military’s FATA operations




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207373: U.S. Special Forces embedded with Pakistan Special Services Group and Frontier Corps for operations in NWFP




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204652: US. "boots on the ground" were to accompany Pakistan Frontier Corps for a joint operation, but were "denied deployment" at the last minute




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204260: U.S. special forces were embedded with Pakistan troops in 2009 anti-Taliban operations in the North-West Frontier Province




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Benazir asked U.S. for security, was turned away




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Pakistan's Punjab turning into hotbed of extremism, U.S. had warned




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127580: Ambassador's meeting with Benazir Bhutto on security and investigation of Karachi attack

Benazir Bhutto claimed that the Sindh Government had informed her that if she goes to Larkhana (her ancestral home), she would be attacked.




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127495: Discussion with Bhutto designees regarding security

Even with support from the government, serious threats against Bhutto will persist.




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128579: security status of Benazir Bhutto when she was assasinated

It was made clear to the PPP representatives that certain dangers were inherent in the return of Bhutto to Karachi, mostly directed by elements from the northern areas.




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Nawaz Sharif too sought U.S. help to protect himself




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When in power, people start making money, Maran told U.S. Political Officer

The estranged DMK M.P. spoke about party's corrupt image & predicted its downfall; criticised ‘freebies'; praised Rahul Gandhi; was ‘very downbeat' about United Progressive Alliance's electoral prospects




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We are not as advanced as you are in respect for freedom of religion, Pakistan told U.S.




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41524: OFAC discusses WMD, terror financing with UAEG, banks

UAEG officials pledged their cooperation on cases of mutual interest, but Central Bank Governor Sultan Nasser al-Suweidi noted his frustration with the USG over the frozen assets of A.Q. Khan's daughter, Dina Khan.




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223755: Finance minister on Pakistan's budget woes, Tokyo pledges, and U.S. assistance

In a September 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said the GOP had included $2 billion in Tokyo Pledges in its budget but was grappling with a shortfall in actual donor assistance.




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189129: The way forward for Pakistan's F-16 program

The bottom line is that Pakistan cannot afford the $2 billion required to complete this F-16 program.




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Behind the Pakistan F-16 deal, a tale of many wheels

The sale was considered only ‘symbolically important' by the U.S., but had many strings attached




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State Department cable cited ISI links with militants




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221726: Indian information inadequate to warrant listing of three Pakistan-based individuals

Chinese officials had approached the Indian government for more information but had since been reportedly told by the Indian government that the information presented was sufficient to justify the listing.




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191725: Ambassador presses Menon to implement civil nuclear cooperation with U.S.

The Indian civil nuclear bureaucracy understands it is "essential" to advance cooperation with the U.S., but claims progress is stymied by the inability of U.S. firms to share sensitive technical information pending the authorizations required under U.S. licensing regulations.




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NSG all set to up-end India's clean waiver

Proposed restrictions on transfer of sensitive nuclear items are a 'derogation', 'rollback' of U.S. commitments, Indian officials had warned



  • The India Cables

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Rajiv Gandhi was ‘entrepreneur’ for Swedish jet, U.S. cable says

Revelation contained in Kissinger-era documents obtained by WikiLeaks




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Data | The NDA juggernaut has halted with the BJP-led alliance losing power in key States

While the BJP-led NDA won resoundingly in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, it has lost power in five major State assemblies since December 2018.




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Watch | BJP chief J.P. Nadda's route to the top




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U.S. to deport 161 Indians this week

Among those on the list to be deported, the maximum 76 are from Haryana, followed by 56 from Punjab; 12 from Gujarat; five from Uttar Pradesh; four from Maharashtra ; two each from Kerala, Telengana and Tamil Nadu; and one each from Andhra Pradesh and Goa.




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Data | How election fund was spent during 2021 State polls

The AIADMK spent the highest share in spreading the party’s propaganda (99.5%) and relied only on media and advertisements




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Data | How regional parties in India are funded?

Total income for the selected regional parties in FY20 amounted to ₹803.24 crore, of which 55% was from unknown sources




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Two migrant labourers shot at, injured in Pulwama: Police

The victims were identified as Shamshad and Faizan Qasri from Bihar's Batya Zila




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Explained | How is the Congress president elected?

As leaders mull over who will head the party next, the Congress Working Committee announced that elections will be held on October 17.




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Explained | Centre and State powers over water resources

Who controls India’s water resources: Centre, States or both? How are inter-State river disputes settled? Who supplies drinking water to Indian citizens?




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Data Point | Looking back at the contributions of Indian women leaders

The Data Point is a bi-weekly newsletter in which The Hindu’s Data team decodes the numbers behind today’s biggest stories.